If you are thinking of a way to immortalize the image of your pet forever then we have found the perfect thing. The sad truth is that pets generally don’t live as long as their owners. When a pet becomes part of the family it can be hard to say goodbye. Having something around the house to remember them by is a huge help and can make it feel like a part of them is still with you. While there are many ways of doing this, we think we have found the perfect one.
We all take hundreds of selfies with our pets and these are a great way to remember some of the good times with them. While looking at photos can be fantastic while they are alive and when they pass away, it is often just not enough. Many have tried different ways to capture the spirit and personality of pets in unique ways. Today there are numerous businesses offering portraits of your pet, where you can have them dressed in traditional military clothing, or painted in a strange location, or just a classic beautiful picture.
When your pet passes away you could stuff them which is an option many owners take but is a little too strange and morbid for our personal taste. Some people choose to have their pets cremated and always in their homes. This can be a great option but you must be careful with the cremator you choose as some have come under controversy in recent years for having mixed up the ashes.
Another option is to create a felted miniature version of your pet. Whether your pet is in his prime, last days, or has been gone for a long time this is a beautiful thing. A felted miniature is a replica of your pet that fits right in your hand. The artist uses wool and a needle to craft the likeness of your pet.
While you may be thinking that it doesn’t sound too remarkable, when you see the pictures of the pet beside their miniature you will see how these amazing creations not only look exactly like the pet but that it somehow manages to capture their unique personality. The reason is down to the attention to detail that the artist Alyson Gurney uses.
Gurney set up the business in 2018 and since it exploded in popularity on Instagram has had a consistent three-month waiting list. When she takes on the project of creating someone’s pet in a felt form she asks for a wide range of photos and videos and to be told a little bit about the dog’s personality. This allows her to have an idea of what the dog is like before she starts to craft it. From there the process takes nearly four hours for each animal and she estimates that she pokes the needle thousands of times for each creation.
It is this effort and commitment that makes the result so perfect and is the reason why Gurney has not expanded her business. The demand is clearly there as Gurney opens up slots for creations at the start of every month, they sell out in three minutes. She could have a huge waiting list if she so desired. However, instead of expanding the business, she is just happy that it is enough to cover her. She would hate to expand it and not be able to deliver a high-quality product to her clients anymore.
Gurney is so committed to the project that she literally puts her heart into every creation she makes. She creates a small heart out of the wool felt and puts it inside the dog. It will likely never be seen by owners but is her personal commitment to the craft she does and the promise she makes to her customers.
